Philip Johnson’s famous 1949 Glass House in New Canaan, CT is one of the most sought-after home tours in New England. Advance ticket sales recently opened for the 2015 tour season, which runs from May through November. Spots fill up fast, so you might want to grab yours while you have the chance! Buy tickets here.

And if you’re too far away for the physical tour, here are a few photos of the gorgeous home, just because.

March is women’s history month and we’re thrilled to bring you some of the greatest female designers of the 20th century.

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky

Photo courtesy of Enciclopedia Delle Donne.

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky was the first female to study at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and was only accepted because of a letter of recommendation from a certain Gustav Klimt. She was winning prizes for her designs even before graduation and went on to design homes and furniture for decades to come. She passed away in 2000 at the ripe old age of 102.

Aino Aalto

The wife and partner of famed Finnish architect Alvar Aalto was an architect and designer in her own right. She spent her professional career right at her husband’s side, collaborating on designs and architecture, as well as completing many works on her own. Her glassware designs for a Iittala-Karhula competition actually beat out the designs submitted by her husband, and the Aino Aalto glass is still sold by Iittala today.

The “Aino Aalto Glass,” 1932. Photo courtesy of Iitala.

The Aalto House, designed by both Alvar and Aino Aalto, 1936. Photo courtesy of Helsinki.

Easy Chair, 1940s. Photo courtesy of Nord 3.

Charlotte Perriand

Perriand alongside Le Corbuseir at the rue de Sevres studio in Paris, 1930s. Photo courtesy of the Design Museum.

Charlotte Perriand was a French architect and designer. Her work aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society. Her work in Le Corbusier’s firm put her on the map and the furniture she designed for him was timeless. Le Corbusier’s B301, LC2, and B306 were actually designed by Perriand.

Library of the apartmentJacques Martin in Rio de Janeiro, 1962. Photo courtesy of Mediation.centrepompidou.fr.

Chloethiel Woodard Smith

Photo courtesy of Harbour Square.

Born in 1910, Chloethiel Woodard Smith was considered a leading architect of her generation and the top female architect of her time. She single-handedly designed half of the structures built in mid-century Washington D.C., as well as many beautiful homes throughout Virginia. An activist for the arts, Smith also spearheaded the campaign to create a National Building Museum in D.C., which still exists today.

Metro station at National Airport in Washington D.C., 1967. Photo courtesy of Jesse Peterson.

Home designed for Nathan and Alice Bindeman, 1966. Photo courtesy of Plastolux.

The Blake Building, 1966. Photo courtesy of the Streets of Washington.

Louis Khan was a man of extremes. His brutalist style often featured striking monolithic edifices set against softer water details. The result is a play of the elements – dark against light and solidity against fragility.

National Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1962–83. Photo courtesy of Yatzer.

One interesting example of his use of water is the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA, designed in 1959. The robust structure features a large courtyard placed in between two towering monoliths. At first, Khan was not sure what to do with the courtyard area, and played with the idea of a garden walk. Fellow architect Luis Barragan, however, suggested that Khan use a water feature to create a plaza, which is exactly what Kahn decided to do. The thin stream of water runs from one side of the plaza to the other, directing the viewer’s eye to the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Photos courtesy of ArchDaily.

There are many more examples Khan’s use of water to create symbolism and contrast within his work, as you can see below. His style remains one of the most striking and memorable to come out of the 20th century.

National Assembly Building of Bangladesh 1961-82. Photo courtesy of Architecture of Doom.

National Assembly Building of Bangladesh 1961-82. Photo courtesy of Open House.

National Assembly Building of Bangladesh 1961-82. Photo courtesy of Open House.

Maison van den Schrieck, in Herent, Belgium, was built between 1962-64 by modernist architect Jacques Dupuis. It’s all angles and straight lines, and we love its simple geometric forms.

The simple lines and single-story layout make the home appear smaller than it actually is; Maison van den Schrieck includes 7 bedrooms, a large kitchen and dining area, several living areas, and a service wing.

Maison van den Schrieck is considered one of the greatest examples of Dupuis work, reflecting his unique modernist style that was influenced greatly by the local traditions of European architecture. The house has been preserved beautifully and remains mostly unchanged to this day.

Last week we featured some beautiful examples of water used as an architectural design element; now we continue the theme with a look at some of the most effective uses of reflecting pools in mid-century designs.

Reflecting pools may seem simple – a small pool of water with a smooth glassy surface. But the simple addition of water can bring life and dimension to a space almost instantly. Here are some great examples.

Pasadena home designed in 1960 by John Galbraith. Photo courtesy of My Home as Art.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark was designed by architects Jørgen Bo and Wilhlem Wohlert in 1955. Photo courtesy of Yellowtrace.com.

Racquet Club Garden Villas designed in 1959 by William F. Cody. Photo courtesy of Palm Springs Real Estate News.